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SpiderGirl climbed out onto the roof at the usual time. ‘Lawndale sounds slightly better,’ she thought. But she knew that the defeat of the Green Goblin didn’t make any of the other problems go away. ‘I will deal with them as they come and Talon is here too.’ She looked in the direction of Crewe Neck with a smile before focusing her hearing to the east.


Lawndale Sun-Herald
Saturday, February 10, 2001
Page 1
Norman Osborn Hospitalised by Melinda Parris
Norman Osborn was admitted to Cedars of Lawndale late last night. No information was available on his condition as of going to press.
Page 2
Oscorp Expansion Plans Leaked by Penelope Jericho


Quinn came down to breakfast to find that Daria was listening to a news report on the radio.

“Norman Osborn remains in an unconscious but stable condition in Cedars of Lawndale after being admitted last night. Hospital staff remain tight lipped about whether he was brought in by one of the vigilantes.”

‘Something else may be happening to him,’ Quinn thought. ‘Is it the Enigma’s powers? Or something he did to himself, combined with the Enigma’s powers?’ She wasn’t sure. “Morning.”

“Morning, Quinn,” Daria said. “I’ll be heading out again shortly.”

“That seems to be the way,” Quinn said. “Coming and going. What has been going on lately hasn’t changed that.”

Daria nodded. “Something on your mind?”

“Everything, really. School, the Historia, everything going on in Lawndale. It’s sometimes overwhelming.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“I’m fine, but lunch would be good,” Quinn said with a smile as she grabbed some cereal.

“I’ll be at the Historia most of the day, albeit coming and going.”

“I was planning on being there anyway.”


Half an hour later, Daria met Peterson and another woman in the Historia’s lobby.

“This is Agent Bell of SHIELD,” Peterson said.

“Krista Bell,” the agent said, extending her hand. “My daughter is in your grade.”

“There’s a Kelly Leung-Bell, I think,” Daria said as she shook the agent’s hand warily.

“That’s right,” Agent Bell said. “But, lead the way.”


Verity was still drinking some coffee when the door opened and she saw Daria, Xanthe and a third woman enter. “Good morning.”

“Morning, Agent Krista Bell, SHIELD.”

“SHIELD?” Verity asked.

“I didn’t expect it either,” Daria said as she entered and sat at the table.”

“But first, some news,” Xanthe said. “Osborn has been hospitalised, following a battle against the vigilante heroes last night. The hospital isn’t saying anything about his condition.”

“I’m not sure what to say,” Verity said.

“I will try to get in touch with SpiderGirl or Ninja Talon today,” Xanthe said.

“You usually talk to them?” Daria asked.

“Mostly SpiderGirl, Ninja Talon more often lately.”

“Anyway, what’s going on?” Verity asked.

Agent Bell sat down. “Osborn may be indisposed but others in Oscorp might be after you for what you know.”

Verity took that in. “Of course,” she said quietly.

“So, we’re offering protective custody,” Agent Bell said.

“Then I’ll take it,” Verity said.


Soon, Beresfield and Agent Bell had left and Daria was tidying up the apartment.
“We need to talk,” Peterson said.

“I know. You’re considering me a vigilante given that I was with the Enigma last night. I have come up with a name; Dafoanairi. It is an anagram of my given names.”

“Dafoanairi,” Peterson repeated. “Sounds unusual. I like it. But you will still need some kind of disguise.”

Daria sighed. “What else is new? I will come up with something within the week.”

“But what about the Historia? What will happen to it now?”

“What about it? Our agreement means that it doesn’t matter that Osborn is indisposed. We still deal with aspects of Oscorp, but also with Mrs. Rowe’s network within Lawndale.”

“I see that you had prepared,” Peterson said.

“I didn’t want Joey and Robert to get caught out. I could see how much this place means to them.”

“And you and Quinn?”

“We both wanted to do something positive for Lawndale,” Daria said.


At the same time, Sandi was in the waiting room at Cedars of Lawndale when Harry came out. She went over to him and he shook his head. “He’s unresponsive. He was barely coherent when he was admitted last night and he went downhill from there.”

“Do they have any idea what’s wrong?”

Harry took a deep breath. “There’s a cocktail of experimental drugs in his system. Many of them are substances Oscorp had been working on…” he then wiped some tears before continuing. “He’s now in a stable condition, but they don’t know how long it will last.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks for being there for me.”

Sandi nodded. “I can stay here for a while.”


Daria entered the café and sat at a table at the front.

“May I help you?” Angie Zammit asked.

“Yes, a coffee would be fine,” Daria answered.

“Cool, Daria. It’ll be right out.”

She took out her notepad. Lawndale seems to be holding it’s breath this morning, as if something had just finished, and is now waiting for something else.


Peterson waited on the roof of the Historia, after Daria had showed her where to go. She knew that SpiderGirl and Ninja Talon had been seen there often in the two weeks since the opening. ‘Another thing pointing to it being Quinn who is SpiderGirl,’ she thought. ‘The association of the Morgendorffers with this place.’


She didn’t have to wait long.

“Peterson?” SpiderGirl asked.

“One of the business partners showed me the way up here,” Xanthe explained.

“I see,” SpiderGirl responded.

“I know something happened with Osborn last night. The hospital isn’t saying who brought him in.”

“It was the Shadow who took him. I didn’t really see what happened to him. It was quite fast.”

“But what did happen?” Xanthe asked.

“It was the Enigma…” SpiderGirl began.


“…And then she did something to remove the jetpack with her powers. They might have affected him, but I’m not sure,” SpiderGirl concluded. “I then caught her. It was the Shadow who caught Osborn. You’d have to ask her.”

“If I can find her. She’s quite elusive. I haven’t seen her since Groundhog Day.”

“I had only seen her one other time between then and last night.”

“You and Ninja Talon are friends, huh?” Peterson asked.

“Um, no comment,” SpiderGirl responded nervously.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

‘You may have figured out my secret identity, but you’re not going to find out Talon’s,’ SpiderGirl thought.


‘You can trust me, Quinn,’ Xanthe thought. ‘If Daria is trusting me as Dafoanairi.’ Then again, it was a different situation.


The two sat there a while as they both looked out over the town. “You know,” Xanthe said, after fifteen minutes. “When I was a teenager, Lawndale was three quarters the size it is now.”

“So, twenty years ago?” SpiderGirl asked.

“Approximately,” Xanthe answered. “The town was closer, more of a community. Then things changed as I graduated from school. That’s why I joined the Department. To make a difference for the people who live here.”

“Thanks for sharing that,” SpiderGirl said.

“I’ll go now,” Peterson said. “But remember, you and Ninja Talon can trust me.”


SpiderGirl waited for a while longer, looking around at the town and thinking about what Xanthe said. She waited until see saw Xanthe leave the building from the front door, before changing to the usual Quinn and heading down.


“It’s not lunch yet,” Daria said as she saw Quinn come over.

“I thought I would join you for morning tea,” Quinn said.

“Maybe you could talk about what you’re doing with the Lowdown?” Daria asked.

“Sure,” Quinn responded with a smile.


Joey and Robert arrived shortly afterwards and found the two sisters. “I knew you were here,” Joey said.

“You’re worried about Osborn being indisposed?” Quinn asked.

“A little,” Joey Green admitted. “I know the agreement, but…”

“He’s concerned about Harry,” Robert Allen said.

“Harry isn’t going to change the agreement,” Daria said in a reassuring tone.

“I know,” Joey said, “But I’m still worried.”

“Maybe we could get reassurance,” Daria said.

“How?” Joey asked.

“You’re going to find him, aren’t you?” Quinn asked.

“Yes. But I’ll have to call Sandi,” Daria said.

“That’s fine,” Quinn said.


Linda answered the phone. “Sorry, Daria, Sandi is out. She is probably with Harry at the hospital.”

“Thanks. Mrs. Griffin. I’ll try there, somehow.”


“Someone for a Sandi Griffin?” an orderly asked.

“I better take that,” Sandi said to Harry.

“Of course,” Harry said.

“I’m here,” Sandi said.

“Over here.”


“So, you want Harry to reassure Joey and Robert about the agreement?” Sandi asked.

“Yes, Quinn isn’t worried as much.”

“I knew she wouldn’t be,” Sandi said with an undertone of bitterness. “I will get Harry.”

“Thanks,” Daria said.


Harry came to the phone. “You want me to come there to reassure them?”

“Pretty much,” Daria said.

“Sure. I’ll be there quickly,” Harry said.

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Maybe I’ll avail myself of Sandi’s street racing skills.”

“You don’t have to,” Daria responded.


“Are you sure?” Sandi asked as she pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

“Of course,” Harry responded. “I want to experience it at least once.”

Sandi nodded.


It was only six minutes after Daria’s call when Sandi and Harry walked into the Historia café. “There they are,” Sandi said. “I’ll wait on the roof.”

“Are you sure?” Harry asked.

“Quinn is there, of course I’m sure. Daria can tell you the way up when you’re done.”


Harry sat at the table with the four teens and saw that there was a fifth one there. “Stacy, right?” he asked.

“Yes. My Mom is resting today,” she said. “She’s not worried about what you might say.”

“But you sound worried,” Harry said.

“That’s what Stacy is normally like,” Joey said.

“Joey!” Stacy said. “He doesn’t need to know that!”

“Anyway…” Daria interrupted.

“Right. I haven’t read the agreement myself, but my father did explain it me a few weeks ago. The building belongs to Oscorp, but you run the business independently….”


Harry finished and saw that Joey and Robert looked relieved, while Quinn and Daria looked thoughtful. Stacy had a small smile.

“Thanks for that,” Joey said.


‘A good thing he did come,’ Daria thought, as the group started talking more freely as their anxiety slipped away. ‘The Historia is here to stay. It may not be perfect, but it doesn’t need to be.’


Sandi looked out over Lawndale as she waited for Harry. She looked to the southwest towards the hospital. ‘What did happen to Harry’s father?’ she wondered again. ‘Was it the drugs alone? Or an interaction of my powers with the drugs?’ she wasn’t sure. ‘What will happen when he recovers?’ He still knew that she was the Enigma. She sighed; the future was uncertain. Both her herself and for Lawndale.


Jane entered the Historia Cafe to find Daria sitting with Quinn, Harry and the others. “Oh!” she said. “I didn’t know that everyone would be here.”

“I was just reassuring them about the agreement,” Harry said.

“I heard about your father,” she said.

“They are still figuring out what is wrong with him,” Harry answered.

‘So, the Enigma…’ she thought. ‘She may want to be SpiderGirl’s rival, but now she’s also the Shadow’s rival,’ she decided. She sat next to Daria. “What’s next?”

“Ted and another of the Seniors will be here shortly,” Daria answered.


Ninja Talon approached the Historia and saw that Sandi was on the roof. ‘I’ll have to find another spot,’ she thought. She climbed down to street level before changing to the usual Brittany in an ally. She looked around before exiting the ally next to the front of the old theatre. ‘I’m sure Kevie will be here shortly.’


“So, what’s next, Quinn?” Stacy asked.

“Anything,” Quinn answered as she saw Brittany enter the café. “Lawndale is our oyster. It may be declining, but it still has a lot to offer.”

“That’s true,” Stacy said.

“It’s going to be a good day,” Quinn said.


Little did they know that although the immediate crisis was over, the Lawndale Troubles had just begun.